Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The view from our Hobbit Hole

Geography and place play an important role in our
spirituality. The theologies of creation and incarnation tell us that God
expresses his grace and goodness in the ground we walk on, the oranges and
broccoli we eat, and the flesh and blood people we love.

The houses or rooms we live in are
also expressions of spirituality. I frequently have dreams of houses when I’m
entering a new ministry, relationship or phase of life. An important part of
these house dreams has to do with light and windows and the view. In “real
life,” I like to go through new (or old) houses and imagine what it would be
like living there. And one of the first things I look for is the view. Can I
see trees from the windows? How much light comes in? One of my favorite book
titles is A Room with a View. That’s what I want. Always. That’s what
feeds my spirit—beauty and light and trees.

These last few years on our trips
to La Paz, we’ve stayed in budget hotels near the Friends Church on Max Paredes
Street. Some of our rooms have overlooked sections of the city, always
impressive. But even though these rooms are economical, according to USA
standards, they have slowly been draining our resources. Our Bolivian
colleagues realize this, so they’ve recently made an effort to prepare a small
apartment for us here on the church property. We made our contribution, and on
Saturday morning we moved in. We’re still in the fixing up stage and, quite
frankly, having a lot of fun. We feel a bit like newly weds, acquiring the basics
in bedding, towels, kitchen stuff. We also feel like jugglers in a circus,
trying to keep in the air the balls of simplicity, comfort and economy.

The space is small, the décor
Spartan. Originally planned to be used for hospitality, carpenters have put in
wooden panels to divide the one room into a study area, a bedroom and a
kitchen, with a small bathroom (where everything works!). The kitchen has only
a counter and a sink. We added a double-burner hot plate; maybe next year we’ll
put in a small refrigerator. And maybe we won’t. The bathroom is closet-sized,
with the electric shower head in the middle of the ceiling. When we shower,
everything gets wet. We have to come out into the kitchen to dry off and get
dressed. But, like I said, everything works.

We first named our new home, “The
Cave,” which gives an idea of what it’s like. Connected to the second floor of
the old mission house, it’s tucked in a walkway between the church and the
Friends school, surrounded by concrete and tall buildings. I’m trying to add
the word “cozy” to the descriptors “small, dark and cold.” To facilitate our
positive attitude, we’ve changed the name from “The Cave” to “The Hobbit Hole.”

But the thing is—the window. It’s
large and opens into the study and the bedroom. That’s good. However, the view
is of the brick wall four feet away. That’s not so good. And at no point during
the day does any sun enter our Hobbit Hole. So.

So, what do I do with that? I
accept this as a challenge. If my spirituality runs deeper than the view out my
window and the sunshine on my face, this is the time to prove it. I’ve chosen
“glory” as my theme this year. “Glory” signifies many things, among
these—beauty, splendor, recognition, honor, light. All the things that touch my
spirit when I imagine a sunny room with a view can be summed up in the word,
“glory.” That’s what I really long for.

So, I read that “Christ in me is
my hope of glory.” I read that “You, O Lord, are a shield to me. You’re my
glory and the lifter of my head.” And more, so much more. Yes.

So, in the early morning, I come
into the study, cup of steaming coffee in hand, wrap myself in a wool blanket,
sit in front of the small space heater, close my eyes, and give myself time to
enter into the Presence. And soon I begin to sense it. The glory. It’s here.
It’s Him.

I can’t begin to describe for you
the beauty of the view from this place.

2 comments:

Glory--both references are so fitting in my life right now as well. Please share any insights you glean as you focus on glory this year. Please. As for the "hole 'n the wall," perhaps the money you're saving will provide enough for a reunion with 2 of your dear friends--Scotland, Oregon or Virginia? Which shall it be?

I'm just very grateful that you and Hal are good friends and that you read together, thereby inviting many guests into any space you inhabit. Small or tiny spaces can host unlimited guests. Plus books simply don't mind the view.